Request for route info, Santa Ana Mountains

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by dustyyoungblood, Feb 3, 2017.


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  1. I see videos of Yeager Mesa,Bell Ridge, Los Pinos, and it all looks awesome. I have never been. What is a good route that is not mega long that captures the good Downhills in that zone?
     
    DangerDirtyD likes this.
  2. mtnbikej

    mtnbikej J-Zilla

    Location:
    Orange
    Name:
    J
    Current Bike:
    SC Chameleon SS, SC Hightower
    Paging @mike .....

    @mike to the white courtesy phone.......
     
    DangerDirtyD, mike, Faust29 and 2 others like this.
  3. Runs with Scissors

    Runs with Scissors iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    West Anaheim
    Name:
    Mark Whitaker
    Current Bike:
    Giant XTC with pedals
    It's probably on MTB Project somewhere.
     
    dustyyoungblood likes this.
  4. sir crashalot

    sir crashalot iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    laguna beach
    Name:
    gary fishman
    Current Bike:
    2018 banshee rune
    any route involving 2 or more of those downhills is going to be at least what I consider "mega long". I recommend the trabuco-bell ridge- yeager loop, would be the "shortest". Its still a tough route.
    after 74 opens, san juan-los pinos is an option, pretty long route. Or you can join Mike for his mega-long route this weekend. easiest way to do Los Pinos would be a shuttle, leave a car at the botom and park up top either at blu jay or top of trabuco if main divide is open. Still like 17 hab's. (un) fortunately theres really no way to hit these trails without many miles of climbing
     
  5. kioti

    kioti iMTB Rockstah

    Name:
    Jim Jennings
    Current Bike:
    ibis ripley
    I would not recommend leaving a car unattended anywhere on the North Main Divide. Blue Jay's fine, or a better option might be to arrange for a drop off at the top of Trabuco, to ride Los Pinos with the least amount of "added" climbing.
     
  6. BonsaiNut

    BonsaiNut iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Troutman, NC
    Name:
    Greg P
    Current Bike:
    Santa Cruz Hightower CC XX1
    A little more information would go a long way. Do you have experience in the Santa Anas elsewhere, and have just never been up Trabuco Canyon? Or do you have zero experience anywhere in the Santa Anas and want to start experiencing the mountains? Are you prepared for the climbs associated with these rides - or are you curious whether you could do a shuttle?

    Pretty much all of these questions lead to the same answer... go with someone familiar with the area. I would not recommend soloing any of the single track (with the possible exception of Holy Jim) if you have never been on it before. Some of these trails do not get regular traffic. A bad fall and someone might not be along for several days - or longer.

    Have you done the San Juan shuttle ride yet?
     
    DangerDirtyD and mike like this.
  7. Runs with Scissors

    Runs with Scissors iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    West Anaheim
    Name:
    Mark Whitaker
    Current Bike:
    Giant XTC with pedals
    Can you get to Blue Jay from this side (OC) with 74 closed?
     
  8. BonsaiNut

    BonsaiNut iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Troutman, NC
    Name:
    Greg P
    Current Bike:
    Santa Cruz Hightower CC XX1
    Not for the next couple of weeks (from the west side). If you are desperate (and creative) you can access it from the Lake Elsinore side. This is not as crazy as it may sound - I can get to Lake Elsinore faster by going around the north end of the mountains via the tollway, than going down to the 74 and heading up and over.
     
    mike and Runs with Scissors like this.
  9. knucklebuster

    knucklebuster Well-Known Member

    Location:
    34.2295° N, 117.2257° W
    Name:
    Dave
    Current Bike:
    Guerrilla Gravity Megatrail
    As Gary said, the shortest would be up Trabuco to MD, up Los Pinos to LP Peak, Right on Bell Ridge, then Right on Yeager which will drop back to Trabuco a few miles from the HJ parking lot. It's about 10 miles, 3300 ft., but was taking me ~ 4 hours with the HABs and breaks. And yeah, you probably want to go with someone, Bell and Yeager are not clearly marked and there's little traffic if you need some help.
     
  10. kioti

    kioti iMTB Rockstah

    Name:
    Jim Jennings
    Current Bike:
    ibis ripley
    You can also descend Bell all the way to Robinson Ranch and return to your car at Trabuco Creek via a mostly downhill ride on pavement. Going straight on Los Pinos and not taking the Bell turnoff puts you much farther from your car if you started from Trabuco Creek, although you can return via Caspers Park/Bell "View" trail, plus some pavement.
     
  11. I have experience doing San Juan dozens of times back to 2005

    I have hiked Holy Jim. Not road

    I will not solo the backcountry. Looking for best loop options to study. Nasty terrain is not a concern. Several thousand feet of climbing and efforts over 25miles is a concern at this fitness level.

    Any info will be used appropriately, and mainly looking for best ins and outs of the good single track zones and proper up/down directions for a loop from OC side.
     
  12. Faust29

    Faust29 Moderator

    Location:
    irgendwo
    Name:
    B. Bunny
    Current Bike:
    I gots some bikes.
    I saw an old map once that listed the Bell Trail from the Main Divide end all the way to Caspers as one 17 mile trail... If you hang a left on the dirt at the exit in Robinson Ranch, you can still ride it as one all the way to Caspers. The only pavement is a street crossing in Dove Canyon, and the crossing at Santa Margarita High School. I play around back there every now and then, because there are a couple really steep sections, and even a couple rocky sections. It's a good short workout that sees almost zero traffic.
     
  13. Faust29

    Faust29 Moderator

    Location:
    irgendwo
    Name:
    B. Bunny
    Current Bike:
    I gots some bikes.
    I always like the classic Holy Jim- Trabuco loop... But that's closer to 31/4800. If you want to get up to the Trabuco area, there is always the hike up West Horsethief. I did that recently from the house, and it was only 24/3800. That's a quick way to experience Trabuco...
     
  14. sir crashalot

    sir crashalot iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    laguna beach
    Name:
    gary fishman
    Current Bike:
    2018 banshee rune
    dusty, have you ever ridden chiquito? That's my fave
     
    mike likes this.
  15. Don't think so.
    Looks like I got some training to do.......
     
    mike likes this.
  16. sir crashalot

    sir crashalot iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    laguna beach
    Name:
    gary fishman
    Current Bike:
    2018 banshee rune
    Chiquito has the best fun/effort ratio if done as a shuttle including viejo tie. It does have some climbing including a tech climb/hab and a mellow climb at the end. Will have to wait until after 74 opens. If u can ever swing a Wednesday I'll hit it with ya. Knucklebuster has posted some good ride reports of it.
    However to really enjoy the backcountry rides in the Santa Ana's it's good to get comfortable with long miles of climbing and some hab
     
  17. sir crashalot

    sir crashalot iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    laguna beach
    Name:
    gary fishman
    Current Bike:
    2018 banshee rune
    I prefer the hike up WH over climbing trabuco!
     
    mike likes this.
  18. kioti

    kioti iMTB Rockstah

    Name:
    Jim Jennings
    Current Bike:
    ibis ripley
    Might want to wait for repairs to be made to Chiquita/Viejo Tie. I seem to remember hearing they were pretty torn up by recent storms.
     
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  19. sir crashalot

    sir crashalot iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    laguna beach
    Name:
    gary fishman
    Current Bike:
    2018 banshee rune
    I heard about that. I'm gonna go soon anyway. Gotta hit that one before weather gets just too hot. Any idea when/if any work might get done?
     
    mike likes this.
  20. Oh I did do the "tie" portion once on a SJ ride. Huge rattle snakes and techy rocks.
     
    mike likes this.
  21. kioti

    kioti iMTB Rockstah

    Name:
    Jim Jennings
    Current Bike:
    ibis ripley
    Sorry, no details.. Might have to wait at least until Ortega's open for access reasons, but not necessarily.
     
    mike likes this.
  22. BonsaiNut

    BonsaiNut iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Troutman, NC
    Name:
    Greg P
    Current Bike:
    Santa Cruz Hightower CC XX1
    The thing I like about HJ/Trabuco is that it is a good indicator of how ready you are for the bigger rides. If you can do that loop without too much trouble, then you can go north and do Holy Jim/Joplin, or go further south and do HJ/Pinos or Trabuco/Pinos. I can't comment on Yaeger because I have never done it. There really aren't any shuttle rides in Trabuco Canyon per se, though I have driven up to the Los Pinos trailhead on Main Divide in an Acura MDX so I know it is possible to do a dropoff there (if you have a driver who is really understanding). I wouldn't leave a vehicle anywhere on Main Divide but that is just me.

    Note my earlier note was not to suggest that you aren't an awesome biker - it is just hard to offer advice when you don't know what rider level people are at.
     
  23. I am so thankful for your advice and info. I think a baby step is going to be holy Jim/Joplin which I have never done also. Years ago when I road a lot I pretty much stuck to Aliso/Laguna/CC, Luge, SJ and pretty much 8-15 mile stuff. I am ready for deeper adventures now.
     
    mike and Faust29 like this.
  24. BonsaiNut

    BonsaiNut iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Troutman, NC
    Name:
    Greg P
    Current Bike:
    Santa Cruz Hightower CC XX1
    Yeah, I rode Aliso/Whiting for four years before I ever even ventured over to STT and Luge. Then once I had been to Old Camp, I asked - "How do you get on this trail?" pointing to the bottom of Joplin.

    Your first climb up Holy Jim can be an eye-opener. I love it, but it throws a lot at you in five miles :) Consider bringing someone with you the first time to Joplin, particularly if you don't want to limp slowly down. The trail can often not be ridden for a week, and there are a couple of surprises.
     
    mike likes this.
  25. BonsaiNut

    BonsaiNut iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Troutman, NC
    Name:
    Greg P
    Current Bike:
    Santa Cruz Hightower CC XX1
    Or if you ride all the way down Los Pinos you could just return up San Juan to Blue Jay to Main Divide and drop back down via Trabuco. I hate to even suggest it because Jason will think it's a great idea - like some kind of mountain bike figure eight from hell.
     
    Rumpled, mike and dustyyoungblood like this.
  26. Runs with Scissors

    Runs with Scissors iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    West Anaheim
    Name:
    Mark Whitaker
    Current Bike:
    Giant XTC with pedals
    I have yet to ride Aliso. Or LCWP. :whistling:
     
    mike likes this.
  27. BonsaiNut

    BonsaiNut iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Troutman, NC
    Name:
    Greg P
    Current Bike:
    Santa Cruz Hightower CC XX1
    Dude! Aliso is almost as famous as the Fully Loop! Almost :) Though I can say I've never ridden the Fullerton Loop so what do I know :)
     
  28. mike

    mike iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Western US
    Name:
    Mike O
    Current Bike:
    HT, FS
    Hey, dusty, lots of great advice here.

    The Yeager Mesa loop Gary and Dave mention is the best mileage value. Yeager is a little F'ed up and tricky right now; not all of it, but enough to be kinda annoying. Bell Ridge is super fun right off Los P Peak, and although it's a long ridge with some HAB and overgrowth, you exit dropping Dingdong into the Trabuco drainage, a fun finish. After you crush HJ-Joplin and want more, you can hit Bell Ridge – which will tell you if you want then go for Los Piños. : )

    Join up for some fun, eh?? 'Tis the season, let's ride. If you like ratty, raw trails, you'll love these...
     
  29. Runs with Scissors

    Runs with Scissors iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    West Anaheim
    Name:
    Mark Whitaker
    Current Bike:
    Giant XTC with pedals
    Yeah, but the FLoop is 6 miles away. :geek: Aliso is something like 30 or more. :eek:

    Driving over an hour for a hiker/eco-freak/stroller pusher - clogged County park just doesn't make me smile. :whistling:

    Or maybe I'm all wrong about Aliso.:laugh:
     
    DangerDirtyD likes this.
  30. Aliso is wicked fun. Put it on your list it's worth the drive
     
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As a former Amazon Associate I continue to get screwed trying to stay qualified as an Amazon Affiliate. So I quit!


Want to donate to imtbtrails?